As a biracial male, adopted and raised by white parents, Colin Kaepernick has gotten some retaliation from people questioning his “blackness,” most notably by Rodney Harrison. As a biracial male myself, here are three reasons I respect the courage of Kaepernick to stand up for a cause he believes in even if some people, black and white, might attack legitimacy due to his race and upbringing.
He’s is taking a stand against police brutality not the military.
Kaepernick said himself, “There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” This is referring to the highly publicized Michael Brown incident, where the young black man was shot and killed, and left in the street for about four hours. His statement rings true for far too many cases; police use excessive force, sometimes killing the victim, and they get paid leave and often don’t serve any jail time for the murder.
It is his first amendment right.
The freedom to petition is directly stated in the first amendment, allowing Colin to freely petition standing for the national anthem before football games. In addition, the 49ers and NFL came out with statements regarding this topic. The 49ers stated that due to the 1st amendment, they recognize Kaepernick’s right to participate, or not, in standing for the national anthem. The NFL simply stated, “Players are encouraged but not required to stand during the playing of the national anthem.” The national anthem is not directly linked to the military in anyway, it is a symbol of America as a whole. The freedoms outlined in the first amendment are what our military is actually fighting for. So for those saying the military is fighting for us and he should stand out of respect, the military is actually fighting for his right to choose whether or not to stand.
Veterans and other athletes support Kaepernick.
Eagles rookie linebacker Myke Tavarres plans to follow in Kaepernick’s footsteps by sitting out the national anthem as well. In addition, the #veteransforkaepernick has been trending on social media, these posts are acknowledging Kaepernick’s right to protest and even praising him for taking a stand against systematic oppression. This shows that even veterans recognize that his action is not a protest of the military, it is a protest over the mistreatment of citizens in America, mainly minorities, and a call for action.
While I personally would not sit for the national anthem at my own football games, I respect Colin Kaepernick’s decision. I do agree with his reasons for sitting, systematic oppression, police brutality, etc; but I think there are other ways to go about it, such as donating to organizations like the NAACP and participating in the BLM protests and movement. But there is no doubt that Kaepernick has made his voice heard and brought attention to the cause.
